Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Pro-Lure-Fishing-Tips » Spinning Fish Inc. Flankers
Spinning Fish Inc. Flankers
By Tim Vincent
It's always nice when a gamble on a lure pays off big time and you find something special. For me, that lure was the Fish Inc. Flanker sinking stickbait. Five years ago, I'd never heard of the brand, however, after looking through their range, the small but mighty 85mm Flanker was calling my name. It looked ideal for the light tackle salmon casting that I enjoy over the winter here in the south-west of Victoria. Since then, there has never been a pelagic trip where the Flanker wasn't the first lure to be tied onto my rod.
So, why a Flanker and not any other stickbait? After all, the market these days is flooded with stickbaits, all looking very much the same to the non-fisho. The reasons why I love a Flanker are simplicity and castability. The Flanker is basically as simple as you'll find; tow point on the nose, straight body to one hook on the rear. There's really no need for anything else and as a result, these lures are as strong as they come. After all, the saying is 'keep it simple'!
That straight body also creates quite an aerodynamic profile, which means that incredible castability is ensured. With a super heavy body (19g for the 85mm), you can really punch out a long cast to feeding fish and for the two fish species I generally throw a Flanker at, this castability is a huge advantage.
Salmon can often be found well behind the breakers on a beach, hence the typical use of metal lures for casting distance. A heavy and aerodynamic lure is also important in this style of fishing to be able to hold up to powerful wash and surge underneath the waves. The Flanker is easily able to hold its own and track straight in heavy swell, unlike a traditional stickbait. Tuna are famous for their quick movement and often by the time a lure hits the water, the fish have already moved and your lure is in a dead zone. A Flanker is quite easy to cast quickly and accurately at feeding fish.
Being fitted straight out of the box with super strong and sticky Owner hooks, a Flanker is easily ready to land a 25kg bluefin fully stock. In fact, we've done that plenty of times. However, I do like to trick up my Flankers a little. Assist hooks can make a big improvement to fish hookup rates. Even though pelagics are usually quite accurate at taking a quickly fleeing baitfish, you can still get plenty of missed strikes. A swinging assist hook will pin those fish swiping at the back of the lure. Swapping out to a single assist hook can also help pin a few more, however they are more commonly used to land a few more fish after they're hooked. Singles make life a lot easier when unhooking a fish and will cause less harm to the fish. That can only be a good thing.
My setup for Flankers will vary based on the location, species targeted, and size of lure. For salmon fishing, I'll pick an 85mm Flanker and 90% of the time the Natural colour is selected. They'll certainly all work, probably equally well, but it's just my personal favourite. An 8'6 rod, with a 3000 sized reel and 15lb braid makes an ideal combo. It's not too heavy that you feel like you're winching the fish in, but you've just got enough power to turn the head of a 3kg fish.
I think many people are stuck in the old days when it comes to beach fishing. Back 25 years ago, your average bream stick was an 8' fibreglass rod, with 20lb mono and a big beast of a spin or side cast style reel. Today, light graphite spin sticks and tiny reels are the norm. Your typical salmon combo has barely evolved in comparison over the same time period.
Try a light combo next time you're on the beach and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Interestingly, the Okuma Epixor Squid Spin Rods in the 8'3 size make the perfect salmon Flanker rod. Light and crisp, with plenty of power and adequate length to cast to the moon and back. For bigger pelagic species, such as tuna, I'll shorten the rod length to around 7'6" (as a shorter rod makes vertical fighting of circling fish much easier) and bump up the line rating to around 30lb or PE 3. Match this with a 6000 size reel, with 30lb braid and you're set.
What's the best way to fish a Flanker? Again, keep it simple! A brisk retrieve, with no pause, is how nearly all my Flanker fishing is done. It can't get much easier. At times, when the fish are feeding well, I'll hold the rod tip up and get that lure skipping across the surface like a fleeing baitfish. This will create some incredibly explosive strikes from pelagics. Sometimes it's more fun to watch these bites than to actually land a fish... you almost don't want them to hook up!
The Flanker has a nice action on the drop as well, shimmying from side to side. This can prove deadly when sunk beneath a school of feeding fish, as you never know what may pick it up when fished a little deeper.
It's amazing how much praise I've got for this $20 piece of ABS plastic and metal, however the trusty Flanker has proven so reliable over the years for myself. Countless mates have also seen the effectiveness of this simple lure and are now addicted themselves. I hope to see one tied onto your rod next time you're approaching a bust up!
Cheers, Tim
Gearing Up:
Flanker 85mm Sinking Stickbait